The Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) degree is a Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board-approved collegiate degree program consisting of lower-division courses intended for transfer to baccalaureate programs that lead to initial Texas teacher certification. The AAT curricula are designed to lead to teacher certification in three areas: 1) Elementary and middle school (including bilingual and ESL); 2) high school and all levels of arts and special education certification and 3) specialized certification for those who plan to teach early childhood through Grade 6.

Each AAT degree consists of the Dallas County Community College District Core Curriculum and the additional course work required for the specific certification sought. In keeping with Texas State law, students who complete the 42 hour credits of the DCCCD Core Curriculum are assured that the core should transfer to any Texas public college or university; in such instances, the core should be substituted for the core requirements of the receiving institution. Therefore, in pursuing a degree, students are encouraged to complete the entire core within the college. However, care should be taken in the selection of math and science courses to ensure that those courses also meet requirements of the proposed major at the transfer institution. Each AAT curriculum requires specific courses that must be taken in addition to the core.

In addition to completing the required courses, student must meet all Texas Success Initiative (TSI) standards and receive a GPA (2) of at least 2.5. Because the goal of the AAT is to prepare students for admission to baccalaureate programs that lead to initial Texas teacher certification, the GPA required for the AAT is higher than the GPA required for the AA, AS, or AAS degrees. The following Associate of Arts in Teaching Degrees are currently available:

*NOTE: The Associate of Arts in Teaching degree has three very distinct specializations areas leading to teacher certification. The specialization areas of the Associate of Arts in Teaching Degree EC-6 and the Associate of Arts in Teaching Degree 4-8, EC-12 Special Education have similar content. These two degrees differ only in 3 additional required science hours. Students must choose one of the two degrees but not both.